Abstract: A novel method and apparatus are described that can be used to equalize the latency in fiber optic distribution links within data centers containing multiple pods (clusters of servers) and thereby improve the overall operation and utility of the data center for multiple customers. Specifically, the apparatus serves to add precisely measured latency (signal delays) to data transmission in certain fiber optic cable links so that there are negligible differences in signal transmission times from the central switch (core router) to each of the distributed pods within a data center. While that purposeful addition of latency may, at first, seem counterintuitive to optimizing the performance of a data center, the effect achieved is quite the opposite. That is because all pods will have equal access to received and transmitted data thereby reducing signal congestion and the unbalanced time favoritism of one pod operator over another to the access incoming data.

Abstract: This invention relates to enhancement of the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites by employing, where practical, heavy water rather than normal water as both the irrigation fluid and the laser beam transmission medium that fills some or all of the space between the distal tip of the optical fiber to the surgical site. The use of heavy water is advantageous for surgical procedures employing lasers operating in the wavelength range of 1.0 microns to 2.5 microns where heavy water is substantially more transparent than normal water. This range includes the commercially important semiconductor diode laser operating at 1.47 microns where the optical attenuation coefficient in heavy water is less than one hundredth of that in normal water. Due to the rather high cost of heavy water, methods are described for collecting and re-cycling heavy water used during laser surgery to mitigate this cost.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advance in the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites using optical fibers with a novel distal tip design made using a fusion assembly procedure suitable for directing laser beams out of the side of an optical fiber. This side-fire fiber delivery tip assembly is fabricated by fusing a transparent tube onto the distal ends of a laser beam delivery fiber and an associated coaxial stub fiber that have beveled and parallel end faces that meet inside of the transparent tube. The result is a rugged fiber delivery tip assembly that is almost entirely solid, except for a very narrow gap between the beveled end surfaces of the two fibers. A loose fitting transparent capsule is placed over this fiber tip to contain a transparent perfluorocarbon lubricating oil or a perfluorocarbon heat-transfer agent that serves as a cooling agent for the fiber tip assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advance in the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites using optical fibers with a novel distal tip design made using a fusion assembly procedure suitable for directing laser beams out of the side of an optical fiber. This side-fire fiber delivery tip assembly is fabricated by fusing a transparent tube onto the distal ends of a laser beam delivery fiber and an associated coaxial stub fiber that have beveled and parallel end faces that meet inside of the transparent tube. The result is a rugged fiber delivery tip assembly that is almost entirely solid, except for a very narrow gap between the beveled end surfaces of the two fibers. A loose fitting transparent capsule is placed over this fiber tip to contain a transparent perfluorocarbon lubricating oil or a perfluorocarbon heat-transfer agent that serves as a cooling agent for the fiber tip assembly.

Abstract: Throughout the world, there is growing trend by investors to protect wealth by holding silver and gold coins and bars. Unfortunately, there are also a growing number of counterfeit coins and bars coming into in circulation. This situation cries out for an affordable method that can be used by untrained investors to quickly and reliably discriminate authentic coins and bars from counterfeit ones without causing damage to their coins and bars. The disclosed method fills this need by the use of a combination of conventional and novel designed pieces of equipment for measuring the following three characteristics of a coin; (1) size, (2) weight, and (3) relative terminal velocity on a magnetic slide. The results of these measurements can be used to unambiguously discriminate pure silver and pure gold investment coins and bars from counterfeit ones and can also be helpful in evaluating 22-karat gold coins and pure platinum coins.

Abstract: This invention relates to increasing the digital data rate of both free space and fiber optic communication systems by passing the laser beam from an ultra-short pulsed laser (USPL) source through an integrated photonic circuit that slices the relatively broadband spectral emission from the USPL into a multiplicity of narrower contiguous spectral bands. Each of these contiguous bands is individually modulated with data to form a multiplicity of communication channels that are then recombined back into a single broadband pulse stream prior to transmission to a remote receiver unit. Upon receipt at the optical receiver unit, the individual broadband pulses in the received pulse stream are sliced once again by another integrated photonic circuit back into a multiplicity of contiguous spectral channels that are directed to a multiplicity of high speed photodetectors, one detector per channel, resulting in a wavelength division multiplexing-per-pulse (WDM-per-pulse) communication system.

Abstract: This invention relates to modifications to the traditional manually operated pill counting tray that is broadly used throughout the world to provide features that permit semi-automatic operation that is faster and more accurate than manual-only operation when counting pharmaceutical pills. The tray modifications are based on electronic weight-based sensing technology including the addition of (1) a weighing load sensor to determine the weight of the pills to be counted, (2) a motion sensor and latch for the trough lid to aid operation and performance, (3) a microprocessor that can convert the measured weight of the pills to a pill count, and (4) an output display to show the number of pills counted. This apparatus includes novel features to improve pill counting speed and accuracy, as well as ease of use, that are only possible when employing electronic counting.

Abstract: Throughout the world, there is growing trend by investors to protect wealth by holding silver and gold coins and bars. Unfortunately, there are also a growing number of counterfeit coins and bars coming into in circulation. This situation cries out for an affordable method that can be used by untrained investors to quickly and reliably discriminate authentic coins and bars from counterfeit ones without causing damage to their coins and bars. The disclosed method fills this need by the use of a combination of conventional and novel designed pieces of equipment for measuring the following three characteristics of a coin; (1) size, (2) weight, and (3) relative terminal velocity on a magnetic slide. The results of these measurements can be used to unambiguously discriminate pure silver and pure gold investment coins and bars from counterfeit ones and can also be helpful in evaluating 22-karat gold coins and pure platinum coins.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advance in the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites using optical fibers with a novel distal tip design made using a fusion assembly procedure suitable for directing laser beams out of the side of an optical fiber. This side-fire fiber delivery tip assembly is fabricated by fusing a transparent tube onto the distal ends of a laser beam delivery fiber and an associated coaxial stub fiber that have beveled and parallel end faces that meet inside of the transparent tube. The result is a rugged fiber delivery tip assembly that is almost entirely solid, except for a very narrow gap between the beveled end surfaces of the two fibers. A loose fitting transparent capsule may be placed over this fiber tip to contain a refractive index matching fluid that may also serve as a cooling agent for the fiber tip assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to modifications to the traditional manually operated pill counting tray that is broadly used throughout the world to provide features that permit semi-automatic operation that is faster and more accurate than manual-only operation when counting pharmaceutical pills. The tray modifications are based on electronic weight-based sensing technology including the addition of (1) a weighing load sensor to determine the weight of the pills to be counted, (2) a motion sensor and latch for the trough lid to aid operation and performance, (3) a microprocessor that can convert the measured weight of the pills to a pill count, and (4) an output display to show the number of pills counted. This apparatus includes novel features to improve pill counting speed and accuracy, as well as ease of use, that are only possible when employing electronic counting.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advance in the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites using optical fibers with a novel distal tip design made using a fusion assembly procedure suitable for directing laser beams out of the side of an optical fiber. This side-fire fiber delivery tip assembly is fabricated by fusing a transparent tube onto the distal ends of a laser beam delivery fiber and an associated coaxial stub fiber that have beveled and parallel end faces that meet inside of the transparent tube. The result is a rugged fiber delivery tip assembly that is almost entirely solid, except for a very narrow gap between the beveled end surfaces of the two fibers. A loose fitting transparent capsule may be placed over this fiber tip to contain a refractive index matching fluid that may also serve as a cooling agent for the fiber tip assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to enhancement of the delivery of laser beams to internal surgical sites by employing, where practical, heavy water rather than normal water as both the irrigation fluid and the laser beam transmission medium that fills some or all of the space between the distal tip of the optical fiber to the surgical site. The use of heavy water is advantageous for surgical procedures employing lasers operating in the wavelength range of 1.0 microns to 2.5 microns where heavy water is substantially more transparent than normal water. This range includes the commercially important semiconductor diode laser operating at 1.47 microns where the optical attenuation coefficient in heavy water is less than one hundredth of that in normal water. Due to the rather high cost of heavy water, methods are described for collecting and re-cycling heavy water used during laser surgery to mitigate this cost.

Abstract: This invention describes materials and apparatuses suitable for triggering a low energy nuclear reaction of deuterium nuclei in a metal alloy consisting of a host metal, such as palladium, and a second metal that spontaneously emits alpha particles, such as thorium, with a sufficient concentration to have at least one alpha particle emission, on average, per minute in each cubic centimeter of metal alloy.

Abstract: This invention relates to modifications to the traditional manually operated pill counting tray that is broadly used throughout the world to provide features that permit semi-automatic operation that is faster and more accurate than manual-only operation when counting pharmaceutical pills. The tray modifications are based on electronic weight-based sensing technology including the addition of (1) a weighing load sensor to determine the weight of the pills to be counted, (2) a microprocessor that can convert the measured weight of the pills to a pill count, and (3) an output display to show the number of pills counted. This apparatus includes novel features to improve pill counting speed and accuracy that are only possible when employing electronic counting.

Abstract: A light guide is produced by the out-diffusion of boron oxide through a free surface of a uniform borosilicate mass. The resulting structure consists of increased index silica rich regions near the surface in contact with lower index regions of a composition approaching that of the unmodified borosilicate. The out-diffusion process, generally carried out at a temperature approaching the softening point of the glass, may be applied to a borosilicate tube to result in a fiber preform. Fibers drawn from such a preform may be characterized by a silica core region, a borosilicate clad region, and a silica outer shell. Use of the procedure results in a graded index structure.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fabricating an optical fiber by drawing a preform whose manufacture involves the deposition of a borosilicate layer. The method calls for borosilicate deposition by high temperature pyrolysis of two gases, with processing parameters chosen so as to cause an acicular structure in the deposited layer, a structure which contributes to the uniformity of the drawn fiber.